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Malguri Morning

This triangular garter-stitch shawl is simple and quick, yet thick and warm, just right for those mountain morning breakfasts on the terrace. It has a 2-stitch stockinette edging that is intended to roll, making a nice border. It is named for Ilisidi’s mountain fortress, “Malguri,” from the C. J. Cherryh Foreigner books (recommended reading!).

Cobblestone Pie Afghan/Washcloth

The weight yarn and size needles you use will determine how this turns out. Baby yarn (Fine:3) on a US 8 or 9 needle knit to about a 3-foot diagonal measurement will be a light and lacy baby blanket. Bulky yarn (Bulky:5) on a US size 10 or 13 to a 4- or 5-foot diagonal will be a thick and heavy afghan/throw. Cotton worsted on a US 5 or 6 to an 8- or 10-inch diagonal will make a nice washcloth. You will have to calculate the amount of yarn you will need from a gauge swatch made from similar weight yarn.

Cobblestone Pie Shawl with Garter Stitch Edging

This pattern takes about 3-4 skeins of knitting worsted weight (Medium:4) yarn on a size US 8 (5.0 mm) or 9 (5.5 mm). You can go with Fine or even Fingering weight yarn on either a large or small needle if you want light and lacy. If you want thick and warm, go with a heavier weight (Bulky:5 yarn) on a larger (US 10 or 13 — 6.0 mm or 9.0 mm) needle. You will have to do a gauge swatch with yarn of the same weight to calculate how much yarn to buy. To calculate the area of a triangle, see here:

Finishing: Knit a row, purl a row, Knit a row,
Bind off in this manner: *P2tog, slip stitch just worked back onto left needle, p2tog, repeat from * to end of the row.

Note: The 2-stitch stockinette edging on either side , as well as the top border of stockinette are going to curl/roll because unblocked stockinette will do that. This is intentional, and creates a nice rolled edge.

Your Common or Garden-Variety Prayer Shawl

This is a dead easy triangular shawl in garter stitch for an absolute beginner. All you need to know to do this project is casting on, knit, yarn over, and binding off. That’s it. It’s also a great stashbuster project.

Note: Skinny yarn on big needles makes a delicate and lacy shawl; skinny yarn on small needles makes a thin, lightweight shawl that takes a long time to finish; fat yarn on big needles makes a thick, heavy shawl that is quick to knit; worsted weight yarn on medium size needles makes a medium weight shawl. You can use odds and ends of leftover yarn that are similar in weight to make a colorful striped shawl.

Materials: Any kind of yarn(s) you want to use in any color(s) you like.

Needles: A circular knitting needle at least 29 inches long in any needle size you like.

Threepers Creepers Shawlette

I decided to write a pattern for one of those asymmetrical shawlettes or scarflets that are all the rage now. This is a good intro to basic lace work. The shawlette has openwork edges, and a stockinette body. Once you’ve done the first 12 rows and established the borders, it’s just a two row pattern repeat until the finishing bit. It looks a lot more complicated than it actually is. This is a good take-along to knit while you wait, in the car, etc.

Repeat rows 13 and 14 until the piece is large enough to suit. Make sure you end on a row with an even number of stitches.

Finishing:
With right side facing:
Row 1: *K2tog, yo, repeat from * to end of row.
Row 2: Purl.
Row 3: *K2tog, yo, repeat from * to end of row.
Row 4: Purl.
Row 5. Bind off knitwise.

Block as required.

Note: You can use a finer weight of yarn and larger needles for a lacy effect, or large needles and a bulkier yarn for a different effect. However, you’ll need to work out some kind of estimate of how much yarn you’ll need. Better to buy too much than not enough. . .